Town Bicycle Club Issue #2

We’re back! Week 2. Dos.

I’m (finally) reading “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall. It’s about the Tarahumara Indians who live in Mexico’s Copper Canyons — AKA the all-around badass ultra distance runners who talk to no one but a whiteboy named Cabello Blanco.

I’m about a decade late to the party, but 60 pages in and I can’t put it down. Well worth the read. And got me inspired to bike some long ass distances soon.

In this week’s issue we’re talking: 

• The only survey you need to fill out this year

• Riding bikes to the Oakland Baller’s game

• Why dumb money + cheap bike = fun

Before you jump into it, hit reply and tell me where you’re riding this weekend. Maybe we can link up.

-Kolby

East Bay Park service wants YOU to decide its future

My shortlist: build more single track, outlaw horses, and please, please let us ride Redwood Bowl.

The East Bay Regional Park service released their latest public survey a few weeks back in an effort to give the public a bit of say in their next “district plan.”

This upcoming district plan will outline everything from park trends to staffing needs. It’s intended to guide the park service into the next century — which is oba long time.

It’s rare that the park makes these lil’ century plans. The last one was in 2013, and before that 1997.

We can thank the 2013 master plan for:

• Creating the “trails for all” focus — meaning trail development should prioritize multi-use trail systems (bikers, hikers, and… horses.)

• Greater partnership with mountain biking groups

• Incorporating mountain biking into regional trail connectivity goals — AKA we can bike across parks

• And a bunch more non-mountain bike, but pro-outdoor things

So, to cut to the point, it’s kind of a big deal. (We) the public really only get a chance to share our opinions once every decade — and NOW is that time.

Do your community a solid. Share your thoughts. 

Your event for the weekend….

Oakland Ballers are BACK. I haven’t been to a game. I’m conflicted, but I’ve heard good things. And according to their webby, there’s a free bike valet at the gate. Next game is Sunday, June 1st @ 1:05pm

What happens when you spend $6k on a Walmart bike?

Obviously, it’s still sheeet, but c’mon. This premise is too good not to indulge. It’s exactly what the algo wants, and it’s the question everyone asks themselves: does the money make the bike. Could a person actually make a $500 bike, good?

Thankfully, our resident Youtube MTB sensation, Seth Alvo, creator of the channel Berm Peak Express gives us the sauce.

So does $6k make a Walmart bike shred….drumroll…. Yes and absolutely no. $6k doesn’t make it worth $6k. But according to tk, it does make it more fun.

Which leads to the (somewhat obvious) conclusion of the experiment: riding is fun no matter what’s under your legs.

Even with the $6k in parts drop, I’d still be weary riding that thing. Tk only uses the original frame in the final $6k build — which by his own calculations is likely only worth $80.

Barreling down any trail on any $80 frame, no matter the other parts, feels sketch. And maybe that’s the fun factor. Either way it’s worth watch.

That’s a wrap. I’m gonna get back to reading.

See you out there,

-Kolby